Filming

Today we did a test shoot for our music video. This helped us understand what we need to prepare for when we shoot the real footage as it will save us a lot of time and make the video look better. We played around with the lighting and the different camera angles, we now know what techniques work best.

History of the Music Video

Case Studies for Pop Music Videos

Schedule

Storyboard: 22nd November, this is when we plan to have our storyboard finished by. After the storyboard we will make an animatic to get a rough idea of our music video and the timing.

Filming: In two weeks we plan to start filming our video

Locations: We need to take pictures of our locations to ensure they match our music video. We will be using a kitchen, living room, park and drama hut. We need to make sure the actors are organised for the shooting days. Need to book the drama rooms for filming and the smoke machines.

Costumes:  Test pictures will be taken before the filming

Audience pitch: This will be done after the storyboard is finished but before we start filming.

19/10/13

In today's lesson we made a schedule of what we all needed to do in our groups. We discussed when we would have our storyboard finished and then when we would be able to start filming. We think we should be finished by then end of the week and then will start filming two weeks from now (week beginning 22nd). We also talked about costume and location.

Morashele

Today we gave our presentation on our chosen band, 'Morashele' and how we would promote them. We talked about how we would use the web, such as twitter and instagram to build a fan base. Radio/TV, such as MTV:Live where they promote a lot of bands and radio where live lounges could be done, this would reach a wider audience. Also talked about their publicity and music releases, i.e free gigs, meet and greets etc.
This helped us understand how we have to promote our artist and what sort of image to create.
To create a successful artist we have to remember that social media is very key, and that you have to be using as many platforms (eg. g+, youtube, facebook, twitter, instagram) to gain a large following. By showing the artists true self it helps establish a connection with fans. For example on instagram to promote our artist we could regularly put photos of behind the scenes or sneak peeks at new material. Vine which is currently big is a good way to show the fun side of our artist, this shows that he is current and knows what is going on. For a rising star I learnt that is is important to get the artist out as much as possible, by doing a lot of interviews and doing free gigs and meet and greets.

Star Image

Influence for Music Video

We have looked at a few videos in our music video genre, to help us get ideas for our own music video.

One of music videos we looked at was 'Where is the love?' by the Black Eyed Peas:

From this video we liked the idea of the children singing the lyrics (1:02) because it is a different approach to singing and not many artists use this technique.

The second video Devlin, runaway:

From this video we got the idea of using different stories with different age groups to use as a sort of a narrative.

We were also inspired by Jessie J 'Wild':

From this we liked the idea of the artist moving the camera with their hand, this inspired to use this technique but when the camera moves rather than move on to the next person it moves to a different scene of the video.

The final music video that we got inspiration from was One Republic 'Counting Stars':

From this video we got the idea of using the audience dancing but it isnt an obvious audience it just looks like people dancing. In our video we want the audience to be dancing around the artist and the band. The lighting is also very effective, we also want to use dramatic lighting on the main artist.

22/10/13

Today Nari and I continued work on our group blog, researching into the genre of our chosen song. We noted down where we got our inspiration for our music video from. For example a music video that inspired us was One Republic 'Counting Stars', from this video we liked the idea of using an audience dancing to the song and the idea of a band. Another idea we liked as a group was using smoke machines and lights on the band to make it a bit more dramatic. We researched into the genre of pop and soul, which is the genre of our song.

Music Video Genre

Inspiration

This music video has given me a few ideas for our music video. I like the idea of using split screen to show different things going on, and to also show a narrative, I think this could work with our chosen genre of alternative/indie.

Applying Goodwin's Theory

Andrew Goodwin demonstrated the six characteristics that music video normally display:

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, for example, there would be stage performance in metal videos where as in pop video for a boy/girl band there would be dance routines. 
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and the visuals. They lyrics either illustrate, amplify or contradict the visuals.
3. This is also the case with between the music and the visuals. 
4. Due to the demands of the record label needing to make money there are a lot of close ups in the video of the artist and there is always attention on them. The artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style); and example is Lady Gaga, in her videos you expect to see a lot of bizarre costumes. 
5. Another characteristic is voyeurism which refers to the frequent notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes etc) and also the male gaze where there is voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. The final characteristic involves intertextuality, meaning that there are references made to films, tv programmes or other music videos.

A music video that follows the key characteristics of Goodwin's theory is Drakes video. The video 'Hold on, we're going home' shows the relationship between the lyrics and visuals by using a narrative in the video.The video is about a relationship where Drakes wife is kidnapped and he has to rescue her, this relates to the lyrics literally as he needs to rescue her and it shows she is innocent. According to Goodwin's theory the lyrics illustrate the visuals as there is a story goes with the lyrics, but is amplified more to make the video more interesting (use of jilted lover). This can also be applied to Goodwin's theory as he said that there is a relationship between the music and the visuals, he said they would either illustrate, amplify or contradict. In this case it illustrates as the song is slow at times which is when the love between the couple are shown and at times the video is slowed down even though there are action scenes going on, which is done to make it seem more dramatic.(5:12) It is also illustrated when the beat speeds up because then the video is made more fast beat.
Goodwin's theory applies to this video because he talked about the record label having to meet demands. Because Drake is a solo artist there are a lot of close ups used to show the audience that it is his video, this is highlighted more as they show others in the video but when on him the view is more clear and the screen time is longer as well. This is all done to help the label sell the artist.

Another technique used to help sell the artist is involving other famous people, in this instance A$AP is used and another famous actor is used.
Voyeurism occurs in this video, the male gaze is used to show the body of his girlfriend (the camera travels up her body whilst she is in her underwear), this makes the audience admire Drake as he is with a 'perfect' woman, also adds pleasure for the audience.




From this theory we know that there are certain codes and conventions we need to make evident to indicate we are creating a video within the pop genre. For example we will add dance routines.Also from this we know that there needs to be a relationship between the visuals and the lyrics, for our chosen song I think it will be appropriate for us to use the lyrics to illustrate ('Love Me Again'). Close ups is another feature we will use a lot in our video, to show the artist and to promote him.

Intertextaultity in Music Videos

Intertextuality is the way in which one media text is referenced in another. 'Postmodern' is often used instead as another term of intertextuality. Postmodernism involves bringing together two different conventions. It breaks the typical conventions and norms; takes little bits of everything and bringing it together. Post modernism emphasises parody and irony, focusing on the satrical nature of music videos. Cinema and television are often used as a reference in music videos. For example the Beastie Boys video for sabotage, where references to police shows are made. The three frequent sources are: cinema, fashion and art photography. Intertextuality is used so that the audience are familiar and are able to make nostalgic associations and new meanings.

Eminem is an artist who often uses intertextuality and postmodernism in his music videos, often mocking celebrities and tv shows. The video 'Lose Yourself' is a good example of intertextuality:

This entire video is eminem mocking celebrities (including himself). We see at the beginning that Eminem is supposed to be Micheal Jackson, this would ammuse the audience as everyone know him very well so therefore are able to understand the humour.


There is a reference to a tv show where he has dressed up as the host, he then comes on dancing as MC Hammer which fits with his lyrics, where he actually says "pyjama time" instead of Hammer time. All his actions in the video fit with his lyrics, making it amusing for the audience. This creates a postive outlook on the song and the artist as it makes it look as if it has been done well. A reference to Justin Timberlakes video, which suggests an audience who watch many videos. As well as making fun of others he also makes a reference to his film 8 mile which would entertain the audience, as he is able to make fun of himself. At the end Micheal Jacksons nose falls off which again is satirical humour (postmodernism), where everyone can laugh as only certain artists would be able to make this kind of joke. 

This is the type of video we expect from Eminem. Another video that uses intertexuality is his video 'We Made You'. In this video he makes fun of many female celebrities exaggerating them, such as Kim Kardashian's bum and Jessica Simpsons weight gain.

His vidoes are fun and a lot of props and costumes are used. He also makes a reference to Guitar Hero/Rock Band, which is a video game.This is done so that the audience will recognise the style and this will provide a certain pleasure for them, it also goes with the lyrics. The bachelor is also imitated in this video which makes the video more comedic.

From this I have gained the knowledge that it is key to keep the audience engaged by using things that are familiar to them, and also to push typical conventions to make an appealing video. As we are doing a pop genre I think it would be appropriate to use sources of art and cinema, to make the video more lively and satrical. As it is a love song where a lot of comedy could be used.

Music Video Director

Anthony Mandler

Anthony Mandler (born April 18, 1973) is an American film director, music video director, television commercial director and photographer. Anthony has directed music videos for people such as Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, The Killers and The Weeknd.  As a music video director, his most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna, the two have worked on sixteen music videos together throughout her career, beginning with "Unfaithful" in 2006 and most recently "Diamonds" in 2012.

Beginning his career as a photographer, Mandler's work has been featured on the covers of major magazines such as Entertainment Weekly, GQ, Esquire, Men's Health, and ESPN The Magazine. His celebrity portraits include, among others, David Beckham, Colin Farrell, James Franco, Heath Ledger, Ryan Phillippe, Eva Mendes, Lebron James, Taylor Lautner, Andrew Garfield, Kiefer Sutherland and Katie Holmes.For commercials, he has worked with international clients such as Nike, Inc., Motorola, Duracell and Cîroc.

Tilley often makes videos in the genre of R & B, hip hop and pop, which is where his style is formed. He uses lots of colour and lighting, choreography and quirky and unusual shots. For the more serious and meaningful songs he uses quite dark colour but still uses different style shots and lighting. His camera angles are what makes him recognisable, he uses a lot of close ups and birds eye view.He has a very recognizable style, his style is quite dark as he uses quite low contrast and dark lighting. All his music videos have story lines to them, making the audience pay closer attention to them. From watching some of his videos you can tell there is a serious tone to most of them, for example Run This Town and Ride,as they have a serious/dark story. For example, in run this town there is a lot of people and it looks as if there is a riot going on, it almost refers to the past where protests were made due to racism, this is relevant as Jay Z, Kanye and Rihanna are strong black individuals of the hip hop/r&b industry. The props such as chains and fire makes them look very powerful, again this goes with their status within the industry. 


The more fun songs such as 22 or Only Girl have a bit more colour however, they are still quite low saturated and are still able to recognise that Mandler directed them, he often uses the same colour tones in these kinds of music videos for example in Only Girl a lot of reds are used. There is still quite a serious and gritty tone. This is done to differeniate the different genres he directs. Also because the audience for 'Run this town' and '22' is very different, therefore he has to cater to the needs of the audience and has to also maintain a certain image for the stars. 

For example, in this video 'Come and Get It' Selena Gomez is seen as an attractive young female, who is making a transition from a disney star to a more serious artist. Mandler has been able to do this very subtle, for example it is not too sexy like how a Beyonce video would be. He has to be aware of this due to her young fans. However, his dark and reflective colours connote a more serious and adult artist, and also the extreme close ups which is quite seductive. Symbolism s is recurrent in his videos, for example he uses an eagle and fire in this too show her strength as a female.

Colin Tilley

Colin Tilley (born June 27, 1988 in Berkeley, California) is an award winning music video director who has written and directed music videos for artists including Zendaya, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, Tyga, Lil Wayne, Jason Derulo, Diddy, Usher, Melanie Fiona, Keri Hilson, Wiz Khalifa and UK rappers Chipmunk, Plan B and Dappy among others. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Chris Brown for whom he has directed 19 video projects. The two have worked on more than a dozen videos together in the last two years including every single from Chris Brown's gold-certified album F.A.M.E. except for "Beautiful People". Colin Tilley has won several awards including video of the year at the 2011 BET Awardsfor Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now" video and Best Male video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards for Justin Bieber "U Smile". He was nominated for three videos at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards including best male video, best best hip hop video, and best collaboration video.

From music video director research I have concluded that it is key to use the same techniques throughout the video to make the style recognisable. For example, the same camera angles and shots. Also the tone throughout the video, which will probably be bright as it is a pop video.

01/10/13

Today in our lesson in our groups we were trying to find the song to make a music video for. We looked at songs by Passenger, Mumford and Sons, Jason Mraz and others. We established we wanted to work in the genre of pop and soul. We looked at many music videos to try and gain inspiration. We looked at the video Run the World by Beyonce, we were creatively inspired from the choreography and location.

Voyeurism in Music Videos

Voyeurism is the idea of being forced to look upon someone to gain sexual pleasure, the person being watched is often unaware, but you are choosing to do so. You are choosing to watch the voyeurism as pleasure is gained. They are intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually considered to be of a private nature within the music video to create a sense of pleasure for male and female spectators. It has been suggested that the male viewer's gaze is the most powerful at objectifying women. Goodwin states female performers are frequently sexually objectified in music videos by camera work and editing with the fragmented body to emphasize the sexualised treatment of the performer. The reason why voyeurism is commonly used is because it is an effective way of selling a product and creating audience interest. Voyeurism is also seen in music videos through the system of screens within screens; characters watching others on television via webcams. For example watching CCTV within the world of narrative, a video that used this is Justin Timberlake's video for 'Sexy Back' and 'Ayo technology'.

Beyonce- 1+1
Beyonce is often known for her sexual approach, this video of hers in particular is a strong demonstration of voyeurism. Beyonce is shown sexually through camera angles and editing throughout the video. She has kept the video very minimalist as there is no choreography like she normally does, it is just her in the center frame the whole time which shows she is the main focus and is in control, this is because it is her video. In the beginning it is made to look as if she is naked as we only see above her shoulders, she is covered in oil and glitter and there is light shining on her which almost makes her look goddess like. This is a good example of voyeurism as this is seen as very sexually appealing, especially for men, this demonstrates manipulation of the audience. She is singing directly to the camera and her eye line is matched to ours which engages the audience more. There is a close up at 0:34 of her face, the camera then travels down but then stops before we see anything this is almost like a mans gaze. There is a shot of her touching her chest, this directs the attention of the audience to that area, this often seen as a sexual part of the body, this again shows manipulation as she is making you want to see more but you know she will not. By doing this it shows she is in control as she has chosen to include this in her video, therefore the representation of her is shown as a strong independent women which is what Beyonce often conveys in her video. We are later shown that she isn't actually naked but she is wearing a mini dress which gives the impression that she is naked. They repeat the shot of her taking her straps of the dress, again this is to make the audience keep watching. 

Voyeurism is shown through her actions of undressing. There are a lot of close ups of her eyes and mouth when there is water pouring over her, and when she is rubbing ice over her body, this is seen as very suggestive.

 There is dark lighting used to make it feel more seductive. We see a mans arms around her but do not see his face, this indicates that she is the main person in the video. The costume and lighting also demonstrate voyeurism well. For example the black eye make up and leopard print bralet, pants and tights are seen as quite sexy outfits. The lighting is calm and ambient this is enhanced with the smoke to make the atmosphere more seductive. Also her dancing she does on top of the man would be appealing to men as it presents her as a sexual character. Slow motion effect is used to show her body for longer and see every movement. The actions in this video make you also focus on the lyrics as well as the sexuality of her.


This video is based on voyeurism, and our video is not. However, we will use the idea of focusing a lot on the artist and focusing on certain parts of her body to show voyeurism. We need to create voyeurism in our video to create pleasure for our audience. The voyeurism in this video empowers the artist which we will use in our video to show that the artist is in charge. To also show this we will manipulate the audience to show that the artist is in charge, showing that the representation of our artist is a strong one. 



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Essential Ingredients of a Successful Music Video

Some of the necessary elements to a successful music video are: camera work, editing, digital effects and mis en scene.

Camera Work

• Camera movement will mostly accompany the movement of the performances i.e walking, dancing etc.
• Also it can be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage performance. For instance, constantly circling the band as they perform on stage. 

The Close-Up Predominates

• To create a sense of intimacy for the viewer and to feel connected with the audience.
• It also emphasises half of the commodity on sale (not just the song, but the artist, and particularly the voice).

Editing

• Most common form of editing is fast cut montage, vending many of the images impossible to grasp on the first viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing.
• Videos which use slow pace and gentle transitions to establish the mood of the video

Editing and Digital Effects

• They're to create pleasure for the audience Enhancing the editing and digital effects which play with the original images to offer different kinds of pleasure for the audience. This might take the form of split screens, colorization and of course blockbuster film CGI.

Mis En Scene

• Costume, props, location etc are key for establishing the genre and mood of the music video.
• For example if it's an alternative/folk genre people playing instruments are often used. 
• Need to use the right performer to make the audience feel connected.

Reviewing music videos

JAY Z ft Justin Timberlake - Holy Grail 

I like how they changed the original song to focus more on the visuals rather than the audio, for example they slow some of the lyrics down (0:32)and change them around. There are cuts in the video so that the music stops playing and it is silent so you can see the detail in the video (0:14-23). It makes you keep watching because they have changed the music and it is quite abstract. An idea I could use from this video is the idea of editing the original piece of music to make the video more appealing. I have learnt you don't have to follow the original music to make a music video, you can make more of a story.

Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

I think this is quite a good video because it is very different to anything she has ever done before. I like the use of props in this video for example the dancing teddy bears and the hand that bleeds paint (1:01). It makes me keep watching because there are very weird props used, for example the chip skull. It is a video for teenagers because of some of the themes in it such twerking. I could take ideas from the performance to the camera, also the lighting and colour as it matches throughout. Makes you think outside the box. This uses typical conventions of a pop music video, for example the use of artificial lighting to make the artist look flawless, and also there is use of props and dance routines. Like most pop videos they show people in the video having fun which makes the audience want to have a good time. Avoid making the video look bad with some of the props and costume as we would not be able to buy props used in this video. Also use typical conventions of chosen genre so it is clear to the audience. 

Kodaline - All I Want

I think this is a good video as the visuals match the lyrics and meaning of the song. It makes you keep watching because there is a story going on and the main guy is not human which makes the video unusual. The tone of the video is quite sad which matches the tone of the song. it is clear that this genre is indie because the colours and lighting are low and quite dark, which in this video is done to convey the emotion of rejection and love. I have learnt you do not need camera performance to make a good video. You need to have a story that is suitable to the lyrics. This kind of video is achievable as it is not too complex. 

Kanye West - BLKKK SKKKN HEAD (Explicit) 

I like this video because of the animated performance of Kanye, which is what makes you keep watching. The visuals match the tone and beat of the music for example when its loud it jumps to a dogs mouth which makes you jump. Also the fact that it was all black and white throughout made the video have a greater impact. The conventions of hip hop are used in this video, for example cutting the video to the beat of the video to make it loud and in your face. Kanye wears a gold chain, jewellery like this especially chains are used in hip hop videos to show their wealth and how far they have made it. From this I learnt you don't need more than one performer as you can use other visuals as well. However doing animation may be too complicated.

Mumford & Sons - Hopeless Wanderer

I like this video because it's comedic, they have used famous comedians to play the members of Mumford & Sons which is what makes you keep on watching it. I like how the music video started off seriously as they didn't show you the band properly only their feet and the back of them but then you are shown the comedians, this makes it funny because as the audience we were fooled into thinking it was the real members of Mumford. (0-1:04). Its also appealing because it was making fun of the members in the band. From this video I have learnt you can use comedy to make your video appealing-but it has to be obvious humour. We know this genre is folk/rock due to the instruments used and the setting of the video. From this video I have learnt that it is important to use an appropriate setting to help establish the genre.

Lady Gaga - Applause 

What I like about the video is the burst of colour at certain points and also the different costumes. I think the dancing works well with the style of the music video and type of costumes. It makes me keep on watching because it is Gaga and you never know what is going to happen, it is quite random. An idea I could use is the use of colour, for example some of the video is in black and white and some is in colour. Also I could take inspiration from the costumes and props. From this I have learnt performance helps when engaging the audience. Also from this video I have learnt that you do not need to follow the exact lyrics of the song, as in this video the visuals do not illustrate the lyrics and there is no narrative. From this I know that music videos are allowed to be random as long as they engage the audience.

The 1975 - Chocolate

I like how this video is in black and white as it goes with the type of band they are, which is indie/rock. The use of light works well as the video is in black and white the light makes things stand out more, like when the band are in a smoky room you can see the outline of them which makes it more mysterious. The pan around the band works well as it helps you see the smoke and the shadows more (0:51). From this video I have learnt you don't have to directly perform right to the camera, for example the singer of the band was lip syncing however it was as if there was no camera in front, I think this is a good technique I could use in my video. The mis en scene really helps define what kind of band they are, as it is quite a dark video. The lighting, mis en scene and setting establish that this is an indie band. As the setting is in a dark room and a rural area.

The Weeknd - The Zone ft. Drake

I think what makes this video appealing is that the visuals at the beginning of the video are quite confusing as it doesn't really go with the music, but then then further it makes more sense. I like the use of location in this shot where the singers are. What makes this a good video is the use of close ups on the performer and the when they also blur some parts when they are singing, it all adds to the confusion of the video. I like how the tone of the video changes when Drake comes in, as it all becomes dark i.e the lighting and the camera techniques change. From this video I have learnt that you can combine two videos together, for example in this there is a projection of another clip playing whilst he is singing. I think I could use the idea of distortion and confusion when making my video. They use the conventions of r&b by showing sexuality throughout the video, eg the projection of the womans behind the artist and also the close ups of her (1:05). There is a sense of mystery within this video, which is what makes the video appealing.

Thirty Seconds To Mars - Up In The Air

I like this video because of all the different things going on in such a big space, and it is all very creative. What makes you keep watching is all the performance going on, and the intro in the beginning which counts down to the song, they build it up with certain objects. I like the slow motion (3:05) and repeating techniques of the dancers, it fits with the music and it makes it more dramatic. A technique I could use is not playing music all the time and there just being silence to make it more dramatic. I like the idea of how they made a small art film, by showing different individuals talents.

MACKLEMORE X RYAN LEWIS - OTHERSIDE REMIX FEAT. FENCES 

I think what is really interesting about this video is its simplicty of it, as it really goes well with the rap and the style of the artist. I like how they changed the tone of the visuals to become quite dark as it shows its more serious. The way they edited the performance of the rapper and the story works well as it helps you understand what is going on. The close ups of the story work well as it makes the lyrics deeper as you see what is going on close up. From this I have learnt you can also make an interesting video even if a lot isn't going on, however you must have a good performer and the right visuals to go with the lyrics.

Evaluation and Review of Foundation Production

What went wrong?
We had to film it three time due to lighting and continuity issues. We also had issues with the actors for example not being available. Also the computers were stolen which had our work on it, which meant we had to restart our editing again. We had a lot of problems with the music as we couldn't find anything to fit with our footage.

What worked?
The flashbacks were really effective, I think this made our opening sequence really appealing as it made it seem quite scary. Despite the problems our video turned out to be really good and were able to make a decent opening sequence.

What you should have done?
Look at the footage whilst we were filming so we didn't have to re film anything. Also look at our storyboard to know exactly what shots to do and to make the filming process easier. We could've done more with the costume for example planning it more in advance. I feel we could've left time for any problems we would encounter later on.

What do you plan to do differently next time?
Plan everything before hand to make it filming and editing easier, and actually follow the plan. Make a time schedule so that everything is organised.

What I have learnt?
I learnt how to meet deadlines and get work in on time. For example to blog whilst I am filming and not leaving everything until the last minute.

Evaluation of 20 sec music video

Our music video, Oh no by Marina and the Diamonds

What went wrong?

We didn't storyboard our idea well so we didn't really know where we had to start when filming or editing

What worked?
The editing that we did worked quite well and also the colourisation for the clips worked well as well as it made the video more lively

What you should have done?
We should have matched the editing to the beat of the music more and also should have used more fast paced editing in the chorus to make it more effective

What you plan to do differently next time?
Make sure that we edit to the beat of the  music more to make the music video more interesting for the audience to watch. Also make some clips different paces, for example slow or speed it up to  make it even more appealing and so that it matches the beat of the music. Also add colour to some clips to make them stand out more than the other for example in the chorus.